Wetzel, William Franklin (25 Sep 1930 - 23 May 1999) Obituary

Wetzel, William Franklin (25 Sep 1930 - 23 May 1999) attended Hillcrest High School in Springfield, MO. View the obituary, post a memory, or share a photo about Wetzel, William Franklin (25 Sep 1930 - 23 May 1999).

Graduation Year	Faculty
Date of Passing	May 23, 1999
About	Subjects taught: Am. History, Am. Heritage William Franklin Wetzel, husband, father and revered Springfield educator, passed away at 12:00 a.m. May 23, 1999, in St. John's Regional Health Center after sudden heart failure four days earlier. Born Sept. 25, 1930, in Sioux City, Iowa, to the late William Fay and Minnie Sue Wetzel, he graduated in the Class of 1949 from Senior High School in Springfield. He went to Central Methodist College in Fayette, where he received his Bachelor of Arts in History and met his future wife, Mildred Hamasaki. After service in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, he attended the University of Missouri and received a Masters of Arts in Education. His teaching career began in 1958, as a member of the founding faculty of Hillcrest High School. He taught history and social studies and sponsored numerous student organizations including the Hillcrest Student Council. Always the scholar, he was generous with his knowledge and wisdom. His thoughtful understanding of world and U.S. history became the groundwork for many of his students intellectual concerns. A life long and avid reader, he often completed a book in a single day. Former high school students fondly recall his booklists and lending library as important resources that they continue to use in the adult lives. He maintained a large collection of U.S. folk music and connected students' sense of being American to our rich musical tradition. He pioneered children's summer programs for the Springfield Park Board. His designs and implementations for these programs were featured regularly on local television. Following his retirement in 1993 from a Glendale High School classroom, where he taught honors history, social studies, and sponsored the Glendale chapter of Amnesty International, the History Club, and many other activities, he continued to serve there as Director of Ticket Sales for all sports into this school year. He was an active member of the National Education Association as well as its Missouri and Springfield chapters, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the Association of Classroom Teachers. His retirement was filled with joy of his grandchildren, designing and construction custom furniture and homes as well as camping, canoeing, and working on his "land." He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Mildred; his children and their spouses, Lani and Stan Triplett, and Stuart and Karen Wetzel; grandchildren, Taylor Triplett and Morgan Kate Wetzel; his sister and brother-in-law, Janet and Charles Snyder, Billings, Mont.; two nieces and a nephew; and eight great-nieces and nephews. He will long be remembered as a honorable man and great mentor who quietly provided a sense of understanding and strength in the lives of all his family, friends, students and colleagues. Burial will be at a later date in Springfield National Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 25, 1999, in Gorman-Scharpf Brentwood Chapel. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society or the American Heart Association. [Spfd News Leader dated May 24, 1999; SSDI]